Jesus Christ Superstar 4K 1973 Ultra HD 2160p

Ted Neely portrays a very kind and smiling Jesus, but the actor is also capable of instantly shifting to a serious demeanor, at which point sadness and despair appear in his eyes. Together with Judas (Carl Anderson), he performs the most complex songs. There’s a play on contrasts here (and I don’t mean skin color), linked to the guitar rhythms (calm for Christ and jagged for Judas). Nature has clearly blessed actor Carl Anderson with vocal talent, so he’s a real asset to the musical. Yvonne Elliman didn’t quite rise to the challenge of her role, but I think this is due to the film’s age—back then, there weren’t yet the means to retouch the sound. That’s why the raw vocals might grate on some people’s ears, as in the scenes with Pontius Pilate (Barry Dennan). But what really wins you over here are the facial expressions and the dedication with which the parts of this rock musical are performed.

Andrew Lloyd Webber did a magnificent job on the film, and even earlier on the stage production. There’s no doubt that he himself composed these memorable rhythms (especially the climactic song “Superstar,” which Judas performs in the style of an African American church preacher). The only problem is that some parts of the musical aren’t full-fledged musical numbers, but merely excerpts. For example, there’s nothing stopping Christ, as the lead singer of AC/DC, from screaming “Get out!” or “Leave me alone” on a high note. At the same time, you can hear professional playing on electric guitars, synthesizers, drums, and saxophone—Lloyd Webber tries to use all the instruments strongly associated with rock music.

The film, it seems to me, is better than the stage production. There’s no need to change the scenery on stage, and besides, the backdrop—a barren desert or a garden—also plays a significant role. Moreover, it’s now possible to show the tanks and airplanes that Judas sees before his betrayal—symbols of malice and aggression. And almost immediately, we see Romans wearing helmets and carrying German submachine guns (a hint that despotism is despotism everywhere). But this rock opera is also full of biblical references, ranging from legendary phrases woven into the musical numbers to Da Vinci’s easily recognizable painting, "The Last Supper". The only reason the clergy might have hated this production by Norman Jewison is the skin color of some of the apostles. Personally, I don’t see any other reasons for a scandal. Well, except perhaps that Herod (Josh Mostel) in his yellow glasses doesn’t look like the biblical supervillain, but poking fun at him in the musical is much better than creating a terrifying image.

After singing and dancing to their hearts’ content (the choreography gets an A+—you can tell they’ve put in the hours of rehearsal) the actors board the bus, leaving behind a lone cross standing against the backdrop of the setting sun. And the music fades away. And even if it returns in 2000 in a new TV production, I believe that "Jesus Christ Superstar" is like the Bible itself: every new interpretation distances us from the author’s true intentions.